University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Executive Vice President Records. Paul H. Musser Administration UPA 7.1M Finding aid prepared by Jason A. Bodnar. Last updated on January 16, 2014. University of Pennsylvania, University Archives and Records Center August 2000
Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...4 Scope and Contents... 4 ARRANGEMENT... 5 Administrative Information... 5 Controlled Access Headings...6 Collection Inventory... 7 Administration...7 Publications... 16 - Page 2 -
Summary Information Repository University of Pennsylvania: University Archives and Records Center Creator Musser, Paul H., (Paul Howard) Creator University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Vice President. Title University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Executive Vice President Records. Paul H. Musser Administration Call number UPA 7.1M Date [bulk] 1940-1946 Date [inclusive] 1922-1948 Extent 4 cubic feet Language English ABSTRACT Paul H. Musser was promoted to Administrative Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania in July of 1939. During World War II, Musser held the important position as the chairman of the University Committee on National Defense which coordinated the University's war efforts. The Office of the Executive Vice President, Paul H. Musser Administration Records consist of documents, publications, and the correspondence of Musser with regard to the University of Pennsylvania and the Second World War, particularly in Musser's capacity of the chair of the University Committee on National Defense. - Page 3 -
Biography/History Paul Howard Musser was born the son of Cryus John and Hennetta Edith on March 27, 1892 in Bedford, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mercersburg Academy in 1912 and attended Franklin and Marshall College for one year before matriculating into the University of Pennsylvania. Musser began to move up the administrative ladder at the University of Pennsylvania shortly after he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn in 1916. Starting as a reader for then-vice Provost and professor of English Josiah H. Penniman, Musser soon progressed to the position of instructor in English and was elected assistant professor in 1924. Musser, who married Mary Thaddeaus Carr in 1925, earned his doctoral degree in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928 and was named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the College Collateral Courses in 1929. Musser was promoted to Administrative Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania in July of 1939. During World War II, Musser held the important position as the chairman of the University Committee on National Defense which coordinated the University's war efforts. He served in that position under Thomas S. Gates until he became Provost on June 30, 1944. Musser served as Provost until July 1, 1951, when he was appointed Chairman of the University of Pennsylvania. Paul Howard Musser died on November 21 1951 - less than five months after being named Chairman. He was the father of one son, John Carr, and two daughters, Janet Anne and Virginia Ellen. In addition to his work at the University, Musser served on the boards of number of professional groups and educational institutions, the most prominent being Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities, the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, and the Franklin and Marshall College. Scope and Contents The Office of the Executive Vice President, Paul H. Musser Administration Records consist of documents, publications, and the correspondence of Musser with regard to the University of Pennsylvania and the Second World War, particularly in Musser's capacity of the chair of the University Committee on National Defense. The bulk of the collection is the Administration series, which consists largely of Musser's correspondence from his positions of Administrative Vice President and Provost of the University of Pennsylvania in the years, 1940-1946. Included in this series are the minutes of the meetings of several war-time committees, as well as a number of publications - most notably a series of bulletins written by the American Council on Education. Also notable in this series are several surveys and questionnares relating to the war, as well as a good deal of direct correspondence between Musser and divisions of the military. Additionally, this - Page 4 -
collection includes a folder of correspondence between Dr. George W. McClelland and the University War Council. The Publications series, 1922-1948, consists of loose pamphlets and booklets from the collection. With only a few exceptions, these pamphlets and booklets are from the same general time period, 1940-1946, as the Administration series, and most deal with either the University of Pennsylvania during the war, or World War II in general. ARRANGEMENT The Office of the Executive Vice President, Paul H. Musser Administration Records are organized into two series, Administration, 1940-1946, and Publications, 1922-1948. Both series are arranged alphabetically. Administrative Information University of Pennsylvania, University Archives and Records Center August 2000 Finding aid prepared by Jason A. Bodnar. Access Restrictions Access to collections is granted in accordance with the Protocols for the University Archives and Records Center. PROVENANCE Transferred from the Office of the President, accessioned 1976 (1976-22). The majority of this collection was originally classified as UPA10, University Activity During World War II Records. - Page 5 -
Controlled Access Headings Corporate Name(s) United States. Army. United States. Navy. University of Pennsylvania. Naval Flight Preparatory School. University of Pennsylvania. Subject(s) Education--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia. World War, 1939-1945--War work--schools. World War, 1939-1945--War work--schools.--pennsylvania--philadelphia - Page 6 -
Administration Collection Inventory Administration. A, 1941-1945. 1 1 Accelerated Program, 1941-1942. 1 2 American Council on Education. Bulletins 1-32, 1940-1942. 1 3 Bulletins 33-40, 1942. 1 4 Bulletins 41-48, 1942-1943. 1 5 Bulletins 49-60, 1943. 1 6 Bulletins 61-74, 1943-1944. 1 7 Bulletins 75-93, 1945. 1 8 Bulletins 94-108, 1946-1947. 1 9 Correspondence, 1940-1943. 1 10 Correspondence, 1944-1946. 1 11 Questionnaire, 1942. 1 12 Study for the National Roster of Scientific and Specialized Personnel, 1942. 1 13 - Page 7 -
Army War Service Opportunities, 1942-1943. 1 14 Army. Headquarters Third Service Command, 1942-1944. 1 15 Letters of Intent, 1943-1944. 1 16 Specialization Training Program, 1945. 1 17 War Show, 1942. 1 18 Army-Navy Plan, 1943. 1 19 Association of American Colleges, 1940-1941. 1 20 Association of American Colleges, 1942-1946. 1 21 Association of College Presidents of Pennsylvania, 1940-1942. 1 22 Association of College Presidents of Pennsylvania, 1943-1946. 1 23 B, 1941-1944. 1 24 Bills, in the United States Senate, 1943-1944. 1 25 C, 1940-1943. 1 26 Camouflage, Course in, 1941-1943. 1 27 - Page 8 -
Committee on Civilian Defense University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Executive Vice President Records. Paul H. Musser Administr... Committee on Civilian Defense. Chairman Dr. Hiram S. Lukens, 1941-1944. 1 28 Requisitions, 1941-1942. 1 29 Sub-committee on Air Raid Wardens, 1941-1943. 1 30 Sub-committee on Red Cross, 1942. 1 31 Committee on Physical Exams for Discharged Servicemen Applying for Admission, 1944-1945. 1 32 Committee on Post-War Physical Plans for Campus, ca. 1945. 1 33 Comptroller, 1941-1943. 1 34 D, 1941-1943. 1 35 Deans, Letters To, 1940-1943. 1 36 Degrees, For Students Called into Service, 1941-1945. 2 1 Deferments, Students and Faculty, 1940-1945. 2 2 Duplication of Student Records, 1942. 2 3 E, 1940-1944. 2 4 Educational Policies Commission, 1940-1941. 2 5 Engineering Defense Training, Sub-committee, 1941-1942. 2 6 - Page 9 -
Committee on Civilian Defense University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Executive Vice President Records. Paul H. Musser Administr... Executive Engineer, 1942-1944. 2 7 F, 1940-1943. 2 8 Faculty Engaged In War Activities, 1942-1945. 2 9 Forms and Policy, 1941. 2 10 G, 1941-1944. 2 11 General Information, 1942. 2 12 German, Concentrated Program, 1945. 2 13 H, 1940-1944. 2 14 Honor Roll, 1944. 2 15 Hostesses Committee, 1943. 2 16 Houston Hall, 1941-1944. 2 17 I, 1943. 2 18 J, 1940. 2 19 Joint Committee for the Recognition of War Services of Alumni, 1944-1945. 2 20 K, 1941-1944. 2 21 Key Center of Information and Training, 1942-1943. 2 22 L, 1940-1943. 2 23 Leaves of Absence, 1941-1943. 2 24 - Page 10 -
Minutes Legislative Bills Having to do With Training and Education of Servicemen, 1943-1944. 2 25 Liaison Officer, 1942-1943. 2 26 Lippincott Library, 1940-1941. 2 27 M, 1940-1942. 2 28 MacFarland, George A., 1942-1946. 2 29 Mc, 1942-1944. 2 30 Military Police Training School Unit, 1942-1943. 2 31 Military R.O.T.C., 1941-1943. 2 32 Minutes. Committee on National Defense, 1940-1941. 2 33 Executive Committee of the American Council on Education, 1940-1942. 2 34 Executive Committee of the American Council on Education, 1943-1945. 2 35 University War Council, 1942. 2 36 University War Council, 1943. 2 37 University War Council, 1944. 2 38 Miscellaneous Correspondence, A-Z, 1941-1946. 2 39 - Page 11 -
Navy N, 1940-1943. 2 40 National Defense Research Committee, 1940-1942. 2 41 National Research Council Questionnaire, 1942. 2 42 National Roster of Scientific and Specialized Personnel, 1942-1945. 2 43 Naval Flight Preparatory School, 1941-1942. 2 44 Naval Flight Preparatory School, 1943. 2 45 Naval Flight Preparatory School, 1944. 2 46 Naval R.O.T.C., 1942-1945. 2 47 Navy. Fourth Naval District, Staff Headquarters, 1942-1945. 2 48 Specialized Training Program, 1945. 2 49 V-1 Plan, 1942-1943. 2 50 V-12, Foundations of National Power, 1944-1945. 2 51 V-12 Program, 1943. 2 52 V-12 Program, 1944. 3 1 V-12 Program, 1945-1946. 3 2 V-12 Program, Tentative Course Outline, 1944. 3 3 - Page 12 -
Navy Department Navy Department. Bureau of Aeronautics, 1942. 3 4 Bureau of Navy Personnel, 1942-1946. 3 5 Bureau of Navigation, 1940-1942. 3 6 O, 1941-1945. 3 7 P, 1940-1944. 3 8 Proposed Air R.O.T.C. Program, 1945. 3 9 Public Instruction, Department of, 1940-1944. 3 10 Publicity, 1940-1944. 3 11 Q, 1941. 3 12 Questionnaire for Visiting Naval Board, 1943. 3 13 R, 1941-1945. 3 14 R.O.T.C. Bulletins, 1940-1941. 3 15 S, 1940-1943. 3 16 Selective Service. National Director, Lewis B. Hershey, 1941-1944. 3 17 - Page 13 -
United States Office of Education University of Pennsylvania. Office of the Executive Vice President Records. Paul H. Musser Administr... Pennsylvania Director, Dr. William Mather Lewis, 1940-1944. 3 18 University Committee on, 1941-1944. 3 19 Service Projects, 1942. 3 21 Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, 1941-1942. 3 22 State Council of Defense, 1942. 3 23 Statement of Policy, 1941. 3 24 T, 1940-1944. 3 25 U, 1941-1945. 3 26 United States Office of Education. Correspondence, 1940-1945. 3 27 Questionnaire, 1942. 3 28 University War Council, 1940-1943. 3 29 University War Council, From Dr. George W. McClelland's Files, 1941-1942. 3 30 V, 1941-1945. 3 31 Vault, Northeast Corner of 36th and Walnut Streets, 1941-1942. 3 32 - Page 14 -
War Department Veterans Administration Rehabilitation, 1943-1944. 3 33 Veterans Advisement Center, 1944-1945. 3 34 W, 1940-1945. 3 35 War Department. Adjutant General's Office, 1940-1943. 3 36 Bureau of Public Relations, 1942-1943. 3 37 War, Impact on Education, 1942-1943. 3 38 War Manpower Commission. Correspondence, 1943-1945. 3 39 Questionnaire, 1942-1943. 3 40 War Service Opportunities, 1941-1943. 3 41 War Service Opportunities, Extra Copies, 1942-1943. 3 42 Watson Laboratories, Air Technical Service Command, 1946. 3 43 - Page 15 -
Publications Publications. Conscription and War Service, 1940-1942. 4 1 Conscription and War Service, 1943-1945. 4 2 Miscellaneous, 1941-1944. 4 3 Miscellaneous, 1945-1948. 4 4 Printed by the American Council on Education, 1940-1944. 4 5 Printed by the American Council on Education, 1945-1946. 4 6 Printed by the University of Pennsylvania, 1922-1944. 4 7 Printed by the University of Pennsylvania, ca. 1940-1945. 4 8 - Page 16 -